Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Season 3
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: This is a collection of my 13 entries to the QLFC all combined into one collection. It is composed of various characters and there is even a Disney crossover near the end. Give it a read if you're looking for something a little different!
1. Practice Round

Unique

Fred smiled and turned, walking backwards for a few seconds as he waved goodbye to his twin and their friends. He turned back and headed down the corridor that lead to Ancient Runes smiling to himself as he pushed a hand through the thick mop of ginger hair that had fallen into his eyes.

Everyone had been surprised when he had picked Ancient Runes as one of his elective studies in third year, George had been shocked at first but once he saw his twin excelling in the class he didn't really care anymore.

It had quickly become Fred's favourite class and not because there was an abundance of cute, smart girls (he had only been 13 when choosing and didn't really care about girls then). No the reason that Ancient Runes was his favourite class was for more selfish than that. The guilt of it had overwhelmed him for the first few weeks of study, but he grew used to the surrounding and enjoyed a sensation he never thought he would experience.

For once in his life Fred felt unique.

But it was more than that, he loved his twin deeply and being apart from him was like missing a limb but in this class, for these 3 hours every week Fred wasn't a twin, people didn't ask him "which one are you then?" Everyone knew this was Fred Weasley.

He could make a name for himself in this class, he could try hard and know that all the credit would go to his name because it was the only class that he didn't share with George and unsurprisingly it was the one he did best in.

After the first week of classes George had come to him wanting to talk, Fred had immediately panicked, thinking that George must be mad at him for abandoning his twin. He sat very still as George perched on the end of the bed, afraid that if he opened his mouth all the guilt in his chest would pour out.

"Thank you Fred."

Fred blanched, physically rocking backwards in surprise, this is the last thing he had expected to hear. "W-what?"

George picked at a loose thread on the bedspread, neither had been particularly open with their emotions, preferring to hide behind their extensive sense of humour even from a young age. "Thank you for choosing Ancient Runes. I know you feel guilty and think you abandoned me but really you were just braver than I was. It's difficult isn't it," he looked up suddenly, boring into his mirror image, "knowing exactly who you are but having everyone else get you confused. It's nice to feel so, so…"

"Unique?" Supplied Fred, smiling slightly at George's nervous expression.

"Yeah, exactly! Unique. It's nice to walk into Divination and be greeted by the right name, you know?"

"I do George" Fred smiled, "I really do."

Now two years later the brothers were still enjoying their ability to be told apart and honestly the separation had done them both the world of good, people had started to notice a few differences between them and some could even tell them apart enough to address them by name without having to guess.

"Fred!" a voice called behind him, he stopped and turned to see Angelina Johnson running breathlessly towards him. He felt his heart do a little flip flop in his chest as she skidded to a halt in front of him and flashed a dazzling smile.

"Come on slow poke!" she grabbed his hand tugging slightly "we're going to be late if you don't move" she laughed and pulled him into a run beside her and he followed more than willing.

So maybe he hadn't picked this class for a girl, but it certainly didn't hurt that a now very beautiful girl knew exactly who he was and seemed to like him a lot. He had noticed that she never greeted his brother with the same enthusiasm so it wasn't just looks. She saw and liked him as his own person.

He laughed with her as they slammed into the big wooden door of the Ancient Runes classroom, the thud echoed up the corridor; quickly they pushed into the room, looking for the teacher who had not yet arrived. Giddy on their narrow escape they wove through the desks, Fred completely aware that Angelina had not yet let go of his hand.

Right and left his fellow classmates greeted them with smiles and by name, he grinned back at them moving on and collapsing into a chair near the front of the classroom.

The teacher arrived a few minutes after he had and moved to the front of the room, talking as she did. She gathered a stack of essays off her desk and started passing them out. Fred scribbled notes down as she talked so that he wouldn't miss anything important, despite how distracting it was with Angelina next to him. He always lit up inside whenever she was impressed with his knowledge of the subject and it was a great excuse to tutor her privately.

The professor reached his table and passed him back his homework, a big red O was drawn on the front and Fred couldn't help but grin happily, he felt the professor put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up.

"Well done." She said sincerely "Fred."

As the professor moved on, Fred thought to himself. Yeah, I am Fred Weasley.

Unique.


	2. Round 1

Alone

A murmur and shuffle broke the sombre silence that held the occupants of the back drawing room in number 12 Grimmauld Place captive. It was slow but people started to filter out of the room, the sound of black clothes rustling and shoes scraping on the floorboards were all that remained. All the words that needed to be said, that could be said, had been said. Eventually only two people remained, Remus and Harry, standing almost close enough to support each other but there was a very noticeable distance.

The old photo of Sirius stared at them, cheerful gleam still in place, the same gleam that they had both watched fade as he tipped backwards into the veil. Remus would never forget that moment, the way he had clutched Harry, as much to stop the boy rushing off into the beyond as himself.

He heard Harry sigh next to him, it was a sound filled with a weight of sorrow that a boy so young, only 15, should not have to deal with. Sorrow he should not have known. But this was no longer a world of innocence; soon children would have a lot more to deal with than mere homework and romantic troubles.

The warm heavy weight of a hand came to rest on his shoulder giving a reassuring squeeze. Remus tipped his head to the side and shared a look with Harry, they both tried for a smile but the slight quirk of the lips only came out tight and tired. He nodded, which Harry returned before the boy let his hand drop and turned away, heading out back into the realms of the living where he belonged.

Remus couldn't leave; there wasn't anything for him down there in the kitchen. They all had their family, their friends. All Remus had was the dead. He could feel the ghosts around him, of his parents, his friends, everyone he had loved.

And suddenly he was mad.

The rage was powerful and all consuming, he had no idea where it had come from but at that moment he just didn't care. He looked swiftly around the room, chest heaving as he dragged in angry breaths. The perfect tables and ornate chairs were a mockery somehow, of this man who had done everything in his life to be distanced from these people. It wasn't right that his shrine should stand in such a place, filled with the things he hated.

Remus strode over and with an almost inhumane roar he over turned a table with a load crash, candle sticks and old useless bits of paper went flying. He picked up a chair and hurled it across the room, splintering it into pieces. Another chair followed, destroying a painting, and another, and another.

The room was soon in tatters and with nothing left to throw Remus turned to face the small photo of his friend, it watched him, cheerful gleam and all. It was the only thing that he hadn't destroyed and it was almost fitting. Sirius had left them in the midst of destruction and now he would rest in this room filled with destruction.

"Remus Lupin!"

Remus froze and then slumped, his head hung forward slightly as he turned slowly to face the door. All the fight drained from him at the sound of Molly's voice as she scolded and pitied him at the same time.

"Don't," he said as the small but very boisterous redheaded woman pulled out her wand in order to fix the havoc that he had wreaked. She paused and regarded him, lowering the wand slightly. "Don't," Remus repeated, shaking his head and looking up through the straggles of his hair to meet her eyes. "He would have liked it better this way, you know that."

Molly nodded, and Remus was struck all at once with how motherly she was. It made him pine once again for those he had lost. As if picking up on the depression that Remus was slowly spiralling into Molly moved forward, her arms were open. He resisted, many years of conditioning himself not to get close to people warring with the need to be comforted, after so long.

She got close enough to touch and that broke some sort of barrier in him. Remus collapsed forward and began to sob on this small but very strong woman, who had dealt with so much herself. But he couldn't help it. He wept for the loss of his friend, for the loss of Harry's innocence and childhood. He wept for the past 15 years of grief that he had had to face alone. Two friends dead and one in prison, only to learn that one was still alive and the reason that the other was locked up.

It had taken so long for him to get over the loneliness, and then to have Sirius returned to him only to be ripped away. It was so much to bear alone.

But mostly he wept for what was to come. Sirius was not the first and nor would he be the last casualty of this deadly war, who would be lost in the coming months? Who would be left to pick up the pieces? Would he even be around at the end of this? Would he see it to conclusion or would he be part of the long list of sacrifices to guarantee a better world?

If they won at all that is.


	3. Round 3

Explanations

Rose sat quietly in the library. Her school books lay open on the desk; half written notes sprawled across the table trailing off mid-sentence. The quill was discarded to one side, black ink now dried on the nib. She stared into space, lost in her own thoughts and loneliness. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes and her breathing was shaky, pale fingers tangled themselves in her fiery curls, a sure sign that she was upset.

She really shouldn't care what the other people thought. She knew that she wasn't as beautiful as the other girls, and that everyone thought she was odd for reading so much and the way that she would get if she didn't get her homework done immediately. So she liked to read every chapter of the book twice, and she liked to make notes word for word, she had the best grades in her year and she worked damn hard for them.

Automatically Rose reached for the one book that wasn't a school book, her automatic response to the jeers of other students was to escape into a fictional world. Of course this did little to help her situation. She briefly considered going to her family, the only people who didn't mock her for her habits or the two friends she had, but really she was more of a third wheel to them anyway, she thought that they must only be her friends out of pity.

With a sigh she pulled the book closer, deciding to escape into the world of 1744 Scotland and the magical romance that was Cross-Stitch by Dianna Gabaldon. This was the only way to deal with her problems without annoying anyone anymore.

"Honestly Weasley it's a Friday night."

Rose froze, book in hand. Letting out a tiny sigh she turned towards the voice of Scorpius Malfoy, already too tired to deal with another bout of verbal abuse from the boy who really started it all. "Malfoy, please just say what you have to and then go."

He scrutinized her face, and Rose was surprised to see the corners of his mouth tilt downwards and a little frown crease between his eyebrows. He looked, mad, or upset? She was confused, it was not an expression that she had ever really seen on his face, and certainly not one that had ever been directed at her.

"Have you been crying Weasley?" he asked finally, and Rose automatically reached up to touch the wetness on her cheeks. She scrubbed now at her eyes, trying to remove any traces of remnant emotion.

"What's it to you Malfoy, just make whatever clever joke you're going to make and leave me the hell alone. I've had enough abuse off your little fan club without having to sit here and endure the same crap from you." She bit off turning away from him now so he couldn't read any more off her face, if he did he might sense the weakness inside of her and exploit it to his full advantage.

Scorpius stood there for a second, mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish searching for something suitable to say. In the end he turned silently on his heel and left her sat there at the desk. Alone once more.

X

The library was closing an hour later and rose carefully packed all the school books into her bag, careful not to let them crumple her neat rows of notes. The ink pot was securely fastened and reinforced with a quick charm before being stowed away with the quill and the rest of her items. Rose left her reading book out though, it was a habit of hers to read as she walked the halls of Hogwarts, it meant she didn't have to talk to anyone.

At this time of night most everyone was safely in their common rooms, laughing with friends around the big roaring fires and so the castle was blessedly quite. It was, however, due to this quite that Rose could hear the argument that was going on in one of the empty classrooms down the hall.

"Why are you even defending her Scorpius, you don't like her as much as we don't." Rose paused at the corner as she registered the high pitched whine of Petunia Zabini, a girl with her heart and ego set on Scorpius Malfoy, a prize her mother Pansy had failed to get with his father.

"I have never said I didn't like her but I am saying I don't like the way you treat her. Lay. Off." Rose still found herself shocked, even though she had her Petunia say his name, that it was in fact Scorpius Malfoy defending some poor girl from the evil talons of Zabini.

A bone grating high pitched laugh sounded from around the corner, "oh Scorpy. You torture Rose Weasley more than I ever have. It is truly inspiring. I don't know what has come over you but I am sure that I can fix whatever it is. Why don't you come up to the room of requirement with me? It provides very comfortable beds." Rose shuddered and gagged in disgust as Petunia's voice turned into her attempt at a seductive purr but she was still reeling from the fact that it was her that Malfoy was defending.

"No, Petunia, get off me!" he all but shouted and Rose heard the girl stumble backwards into a desk. "I don't want anything more to do with you. Yes I haven't been kind to her, ever, but that is something I am rethinking and I suggest you do so as well."

"Urgh!" she huffed loudly. "You're making a huge mistake Scorpius, I won't be here when you realise how stupid you are and I won't come back even if you beg me. Stupid boy," and with that she flounced out into the corridor.

Rose pressed herself into the shadows as the furious girl stormed past her and off towards the Slytherin dungeons. Once the footsteps had faded into the distance and Rose was sure Petunia wouldn't be coming back she moved round the corner. Shrugging her bag further onto her shoulder she entered the classroom where Scorpius stood, leant against a desk, so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice her come into the room.

"What sort of sick game are you playing?" she demanded, voice cold, manner defensive.

Scorpius' head snapped up, shocked coloured his face. "Rose," he whispered, panic lacing his tone.

"What sort of sick game are you playing?" she demanded again, stalking into the room.

"I-I don't understand, what do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," she said, volume steadily rising. "You stand there, and defend me against Petunia Zabini when you, you are the one who makes my life a misery the most!" she was shouting by the end.

"Rose I'm sorry I want to change, I feel really bad for-"

"No! No, you don't get to apologise! You, you have been a bastard to me since the day we met and you think now that you can just say you're sorry and everything will be fine?"

"Rose-" he tried to interrupt.

"DON'T YOU DARE INTERRUPT ME I AM NOT FINISHED!" she practically screamed at him, face going red with fury. "I am talking now and you will listen!"

"No! I won't." he shouted back, getting into the swing of the fight. "I am trying to be nice to you, to make up for all the shitty things I've done and you are being stupid and irrational and you won't let me explain."

"Stupid?! Oh so you think that's how you apologise to a girl you insult her some more, you know it's a wonder you even have any friends at all!"

"Will you just shut up for a second and let me explain!" he demanded but she certainly wasn't finished.

"Explain? How on earth could you possibly explain? What even is there to explain, there must be some reason that you're doing this and I highly doubt it's this mysterious change of heart. So what is it then Malfoy? What is your ulterior motive? Are you setting me up for a fall? What? Just tell me! Mmph!"

The squeak of alarm and wide eyes only lasted for a second before Rose melted into the unexpected kiss and found herself responding more than she would ever have guessed. After a minute or so they came up for air and just stared at each other for a second, it seemed like that wasn't something he had planned either.

"Oh." Said Rose.


	4. Round 4

Ruined

Severus should have known that it was too good to last. He should have known that he would mess this up, just as he had messed up every aspect of his life.

His father had left him, disgusted by his son the freak.

His mother had scorned him, blamed him for making his father leave, for causing their arguments.

Everyone seemed to leave him, and it was always his fault.

Now his stupidity had lost him Lily.

Severus paused, his breath hitching involuntarily. He moved to the side of the corridor and rested a pale hand on the ancient stone. Trying to pull the strength that he needed out of it.

He straightened up, flicking his head to clear the hair out of his eyes and ignored the wounded beating of his heart. Slytherins are ice cold. That was what his mother had taught him and any sort of emotion that he displayed was a weakness. Weaknesses were not permitted in such a prestigious house.

Severus moved on, keeping close to the walls and letting the stream of students flow past him.

He used to be like them, he used to walk this castle with glee, a spring in his step and a pretty girl at his side. Her fiery hair would light his path and he would willingly follow her to the ends of the earth. Now, however, he was alone, isolated. A small island of darkness.

He thought back to the encounter. He had lashed out at Lily, humiliation and anger had caused him to react and because he was too weak, too cowardly to attack his assailants, he attacked her instead. His actions only pushed her straight into the arms of James Potter. The bane of his life at Hogwarts.

Severus took the stairs slowly, ignoring the way that other students were pushing, all moving with one mind and one purpose. A bright, warm, homey light shone from the open doors of the great hall, attracting all the hungry students into the room like moths to a flame.

He was one of the last ones to reach the door, only a few of the later students were left to trickle past him and he found himself hovering in the shadows of the doorway. Severus hesitated, surprisingly unwilling.

He looked towards the Slytherin table, his new group of 'friends' sat there, talking quietly amongst themselves. No doubt discussing the plans of this fanatic who hated all muggles and mudbloods. Whoever he was, he was planning some sort of demonstration and bit by bit his minions in Hogwarts were recruiting the whole of Slytherin house. He wasn't really in the mood for that sort of stupidity, the only reason he had joined at all was the huge peer pressure, and it wasn't like he needed anyone else bullying him.

Severus let his eyes drift across the rest of the hall, stopping briefly on the old head teacher at the front. Albus Dumbledore, legendary wizard, who had, for some reason, settled for shepherding the next generation. He too seemed to be fixated on the small knot of Slytherins, a slight frown creasing his brown. Severus considered going to him for a second, explaining what they were doing and allowing the older and wiser wizard to deal with the problem. But he quickly decided against it, knowing just what would happen to a 'snitch' like that.

He started into the hall, hunger finally winning out over hesitation, but he stopped again almost immediately as a familiar laugh, as clear and beautiful as a bell, caught his attention.

Reluctantly he scanned the Gryffindor table and his heart dropped as he observed Lily, his Lily, sat side by side with that idiot Potter boy. She was laughing hysterically at something he had said and had one pale, delicate hand resting on his arm. The idiot boy was beaming like it was Christmas and his birthday all come early.

Severus knew that he had hurt Lily, and that their friendship was probably ruined forever, but he hadn't thought that his actions would cause him this much pain. That he would have to watch as she sunk so low.

But no, he thought, he didn't have to watch. Appetite suddenly gone Severus turned on heel and headed towards the staircase down into the dungeons. He didn't notice the sharp drop in temperature that always accompanied the decent into the lower level of the castle, having gone cold in shock and horror. The image of Lily and Potter was burned into his mind and it made him angrier and angrier with every passing second.

He entered the empty Slytherin common room, marched straight over to the fireplace, ignored the flickering green flames and drove his fist straight into the rough stone there. The pain blossomed instantly and he hissed, cradling the injured hand and examined the now blood knuckles.

Lashing out hadn't really helped and Severus felt all the fight drain for him, a wave of regret and despair over came in and he sunk to his knees, pitching forward slightly to rest his forehead against the cool, slightly damp stone.

He sighed. Never in his whole life had he ever felt such a level of despair, so very isolated from anything that had ever made him happy. Not losing his father, or having his own mother hate him. Not even being shunned as weird by all the people who lived around him. He had always had Lily, and she had always made life in Spinners End bareable. Merlin only knew what he was going to do this summer.

Why did he always have to ruin everything?


	5. Round 5

Beginnings

Charlie Weasley didn't suffer from the same affliction as most other first year students. He wasn't small, quiet and easily overlooked like the others and he certainly didn't blend into the background. No, Charlie Weasley stuck out from the crowd like a sore thumb. He was abnormally tall for his age, towering over the other 'ickle firsties' but he hadn't yet grown into his height and so he was thin and gangly. His skin was covered in prepubescent spots and he was so pale that it was almost translucent even the weak Scottish sun was deadly to him. However his most noticeable feature was the Weasley badge of honour: a full thick head of carroty hair. Charlie couldn't go anywhere without turning heads.

Unfortunately for Charlie he didn't make it through his first year completely unscathed and he ended up with that common first year affliction of being completely unable to talk to people. For some reason that Charlie didn't understand the sorting hat had placed him in Gryffindor with his brother Bill, but he certainly wasn't brave.

Every night Charlie would play out the same routine. He would make his way back to the Gryffindor common room, he would give the fat lady the password and step into the common room glancing around. There were clumps of Gryffindor students scattered around, his brother was always holding court in the corner with his own friends talking and laughing and for a brief second Charlie would consider going over to the fire with the other first years and making some friends. But just as he thought he might actually have the courage a swarm of doubts would enter his mind and he would duck his head and rush straight through, up the stairs and into bed. He barely shared more than three words a day with the boys in his dormitory.

This lonely farce continued for nearly a month. Bill tried hard to include his brother, invited him to talk to his friends, but it never stuck. Every missed opportunity only made him regress even further into himself until one day fate intervened.

Everything started as it normally did; he hesitated in the doorway considering his options before deciding against doing anything and he had just begun to make his trek across the common room when he was confronted by a small, pink haired girl with a bright, urgent smile. She seized his wrist and, without a single word of explanation, she dragged him over to two big chairs in the corner which were nearly hidden by an alcove. Charlie thought he recognised her from the sorting ceremony, but before he had the chance to summon her name from his memory she _changed_.

Her long, pink, slightly curled hair began to shorten and morph into a cute blonde pixie cut. The previously bright green eyes became a clear, rich, sea blue colour but apart from that she remained the same. His face must have been a picture, he could feel his jaw hanging loose in shock, and a wicked, cheeky smile curved her pretty face.

"Nymphadora Tonks," she declared, thrusting her small pale hand in his direction, "and in case you hadn't noticed I'm a metamorphose." He automatically reached out to grasp it, years of manners answering, but he was shocked as her grip tightened into something almost bone crushing. Her smile turned into something threatening and she levelled a steely glare at him, "but you must call me Tonks. I _hate_ Nymphadora and I would really like us to be friends, not enemies."

"C-Charlie Weasley," he stammered, nodding in mindless agreement to her terms. He tried to give her a shaky smile, Bill had told him jokes helped make friends, "decidedly average."

"Oh Charlie," she said, releasing his hand and sitting back with another smile, "I think you're anything but average."

X

Charlie had successfully made his first friend at Hogwarts, and they very quickly became inseparable. Of course once he had made on friend others followed, but that first little quirky pink haired girl would always be his very best friend. They shared every class and started studying together in the library where once Charlie had studied alone. Something still felt off though, he felt that something hadn't quite clicked yet. He shared his concern with Tonks.

"I don't know what it is," he said as they worked on a Transfiguration essay together, "I just don't feel like I have found my thing. I mean you love potions, and I know Bill is really good with charms, but I just don't feel a particular affinity for anything. I don't know, maybe it's me."

"What do you mean by that? What's wrong with you?" she asked, not looking up as she scribbled away, only pausing to glance at the open text book beside her.

He sighed and sat back, letting his own quill fall limp in his hand. "You know what I'm like. I didn't make a single friend until you dragged me away to hide in the corner from that creeper McLaggen. What's a 5th year doing hitting on a 1st year anyway? But I'm just not good with people, I'm far better at dealing with animals. I wish I could do that instead."

He looked at his best friend who had, for once, stopped working and was now looking at him curiously. Her eyes were hazel today, almost gold, and they narrowed at him; he could practically hear the cogs turning in her mind.

"What?" he asked cautiously. That look on her face usually meant trouble.

"Oh nothing," she replied, smirking as she got back to work, "I just think I have the perfect thing for you."

X

"Oh! Hello there Tonks, it's nice to see yeh. Who's yer little friend?"

"This, Hagrid, is Charlie Weasley, surely you could tell?"

The half giant peered down at the two young first years and smiled, although it was mostly hidden by the mass of hair he called a beard. "Well, now tha' I look a' him, it's clear he can't be anything but a Weasley. I knew yer mam and dad when they were at school."

"You did?" Charlie asked, looking up at the huge man in a strange mixture of fear and awe. How could he be so old?

"Oh aye, we was friends. Now, to what do I owe the honour?"

"Well Hagrid we have a problem and I think you are the perfect man for the job. Young Charlie here has a better time with animals than humans and I happen to know you're the same. Do you think you have something that could help him out?"

This time Hagrid's answering smile was so big it could be clearly seen through the mass of hair. "Oh aye, I think we'll get on just fine. Come on in Tonks, Charlie, I think you'd love to meet my dog Fang."


	6. Round 6

Dinner at the Malfoys

Despite the fact that the tension in the air was so thick that a muggle chainsaw wouldn't even be able to cut it Albus Potter found himself letting out the breath he had unconsciously been holding. He felt a huge sense of relief was Winky the house-elf began serving coffees. It meant that this evening was finally coming to a close.

Albus had always considered Malfoy manor to be a cold and imposing place and any time he had spent there as a child had always been a hushed affair. There was no childish laughter and running around like there was in the burrow. But off all the nights he had spent here this was certainly the worst.

It had started in Hogwarts, for some reason he had thought that it would be a good idea to make friends with Scorpius Malfoy in their first year, build old bridges and all that rubbish, but it had led to Scorpius and Rose being best friends which naturally led to something more. Now they were engaged and due to be married in three months and he was forced to sit through the most awkward 'family' dinner in the history of the world.

His uncle Ron had spent the entire night glaring at the elder Malfoy and his aunt Hermione had been as white as a sheet since the second course was served. Astoria Malfoy seemed to be quiet a cold woman but as an asset to her she had played the hostess excellently and managed to keep up a stilted conversation. Draco had maintained a stony silence.

Albus carefully picked up his delicate coffee cup and began to sip at the steaming liquid, paying polite attention to his cousin Rose as she descried some detail or other of the wedding to her soon to be mother-in-law. The pretty red head was interrupted suddenly by a screeching wail from another part of the house. In his shock Albus dropped his coffee cup soaking his front with the hot beverage. But that was the least of his worries as the young house elf Winky apparated into the room, wailing his little heart out and covered in blood.

"It M-Mr Malfoy!" he wailed throwing himself at the feet of his master, "h-he's dead! In the study! Oh Mr Malfoy I am sorry please don't punish Winky!"

Everyone sat frozen for a second, mouths hanging and faces white with shock, staring at the shaking form of the little house elf in front of Draco Malfoy. They all seemed to regain sense in the same second and, with a hurried scrape of chairs, all 7 dinner guests hurried towards the Malfoy study on the ground floor, and the possible body of its former master.

Astoria got there first and let out a burst of emotion that was uncommon for the icy woman, she turned into the waiting arms of her husband and began to sob. Draco, seemingly emotionless, observed the corpse of his father over the head of his weeping wife.

Albus pushed past the Weasley family who were hanging back from the scene, either shocked or secretly pleased it wasn't to know. He was only a trainee auror, he and Scorpius were busy undergoing training, but because Scorpius had such a personal connection to the victim Albus took charge of the situation.


	7. Round 7

Feeling Lucky

"Sirius I really don't think that this is going to work!" hissed James Potter at his long time best friend Sirius Black. Sirius was pretending to do his homework over breakfast but by the cheeky smile slowly spreading across his face James knew that he was listening. "I am being serious here Black, this is wrong! I don't like it one bit!"

"Oh James grow a pair," Sirius sighed shutting the potions book he had been 'reading'. "We both know that this is the only way that you are going to get a date with her and once she sees how charming you are then it will all be for the best."

"You say that now, but do I really want to tell my children that the way I got their mother was by drugging her?" James felt his voice rising with hysteria and glanced around. It was early and luckily the only other Gryffindors around were at the other end of the table. Lily would be here any second though she always ate breakfast early.

"We are not drugging Lily!" Sirius protested. "We're drugging you!"

"That is not any better Sirius and you know it."

"Look Potter," Sirius levelled him with a sharp gaze all traces of humour gone from his grey eyes. "We have spent a lot of time and effort on this plan. I have here in my pocket a little bottle of illegal potion that we brewed from scratch and you and I both know we had to steal some of the ingredients from Slughorn. You are not backing out now."

James sat back and stared moodily at his untouched toast. He knew that Sirius was right and that it was his best chance to get Lily Evans to take him seriously. It just felt wrong; when he finally won her heart he wanted it to be real. He wanted her to really want him.

The more he sat there, waiting, the more his mind twisted the idea until he was convinced that this was just a way in so he could show her what a wonderful person he really was. He just needed that opportunity to show her that he could make her happy. All these feelings were genuine, it didn't really matter that the method was a little underhand. Right?

He didn't have any more time to dwell on the subject as right at that moment Lily walked into the great hall, closely followed by her friend Marlene McKinnon. James tried not to stare, he really truly tried, but she was mid laugh and she was so beautiful when she was that carefree. Her hair was never quite perfect, and sometimes she would have toothpaste on her hand and it would get everywhere but the thing that really got him was her smile. She had such a beautiful smile and he dreamed of the day when one of those smiles was pointed right at him.

"Okay Casanova this is it," interrupted Sirius moving to block his view of Lily. He presented a cup full of juice, but that probably wasn't the only thing in it. "Drink this, don't think just drink. Let it settle and when you feel it you march right over to Lily and you ask her to Hogsmeade. I don't know how long you have so tell her you'll buy her breakfast in the Three Broomsticks. You eat, you shop, you eat again, nice romantic walk, then back to the castle. Got it?"

James nodded, unable to reply with his suddenly drier than the Sahara desert mouth. The nerves were so intense that he was shaking and the juice sloshed within his cup. He stared for a moment down into the cup looking at his distorted reflection but, hearing Lily's laugh from just down the table, he frowned and threw his head back, downing the drink in a few gulps. He slammed the cup down with a satisfying thump and could feel the effects almost immediately.

He stood, grinned down at a curious looking Sirius and marched up the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students.

"-and the look on his face was absolutely hilarious! I know that I should be more sympathetic but we aren't really friends anymore-"

"Lily," James declared stopping next to the beautiful redhead. Lily looked up, at first disgruntled at being interrupted, but then with shock at seeing James stood in front of her. She had been convinced that he was avoiding her for some reason or other and she found it very off putting. She was used to his constant hounding to go out on a date with him but it had been nearly two months of silence.

"Yes James?" she asked a slight but adorable frown puckering her eyebrows and mouth.

He took a deep fortifying breath. "I know that it's short notice and that today is the Hogsmeade day, but I was wondering if you would come with me. I realise that you have never said yes before and that you have no reason to say yes now but I really think that if you gave me the chance you would see that I really care about you and that we would be good togeth-"

"Yes."

"-er and I know that you have never really liked me, what?"

"I said yes James. I will go to Hogsmeade with you today."

"You will?" he asked, completely shocked. This potion must work fast and strong!

"Yes," she said standing up and smiling at Marlene. "You don't mind do you?"

"Of course not," she replied sharing a sidelong smirk with Sirius down the table.

"Come on Potter we don't have all day," called Lily as she started towards the doors, "and you can buy me breakfast."

James grinned and jogged after her he couldn't believe that this was really happening. He turned as they reached the door to give Sirius a thumbs up and share a victorious smile but he was shocked as he saw his friend holding up a small vial.

The Gryffindor boy smirked as he shook the little vial teasingly at his shocked friend. It was still full of the little golden luck potion called Felix Felicis.


	8. Round 8

Like Father, Like Son

"Please, please tell me that you aren't going to go through with this!" groaned a 5th year Lily Luna Potter from her chair by the windows in the Gryffindor tower. She was draped comfortably over both arms of the plush chair but sat up sharply at the sight of her younger, but only by two months, cousin Hugo Weasley.

The tall, gangly, typically Weasley looking boy flashed her a dark look as he collapsed cross legged at her feet and pulled out a rather crumpled bit of parchment and began scanning the page as if it held the answers to eternal life.

"Hugo," Lily began again swinging her legs round so she now sat properly in the chair, "you can't be serious. They are 17, you are 15, Rose is not going to take kindly to you sticking your nose into her business! Besides what business is it of yours anyway?"

Hugo shot his cousin another dark look and levelled her with a determined gaze. "You know exactly why it's my business Lily. It is a matter of family pride! We can't have Rosie being," he shuddered, "seduced into the dark side!"

"Oh my Merlin!" she practically screeched drawing the attention of several other Gryffindors. "Hugo get your head out of our ass and listen to yourself! Draco Malfoy is a well-respected healer and friends with my dad, it's just because your dad is so stubborn that this is happening at all. Scorpius Malfoy is not and never has been a deatheater, they're both Ravenclaws for Merlin's sake."

"She needs to be protected," Hugo insisted returning his attention to the parchment in his hands.

Lily snorted and swung her legs back over the arms of the chair. "Fine, whatever. It's your funeral."

X

Hugo lay in bed that night and read the letter from his father for the millionth time. When Hugo had informed his father Ron of Rose's poor dating decisions their anger had been unanimous. His mother, Hermione, was far too forgiving and easy going so both headstrong men decided to leave her out of this but Lily had snatched the letter away from him when he had started obsessing over it so much.

Dear Hugo,  
Thank you for informing me about this state of affairs involving your sister. You're right it is wrong for her and for the family and I have always believed that that boy is up to no good. I don't want him anywhere near my Rosie, poisoning her with his backwards ideals. No, we have to stop this Hugo and you are going to have to be the one to do it! Something this important can't wait until she comes home for the summer and it must be nipped in the bud before it becomes serious. Or worse, before your mother hears about it.  
You must put the boy in a compromising position so that Rosie thinks she is coming to the idea all by herself. That way she won't fight it. Lock him in a broom closet with someone and then tell Rosie you saw him going in there. Then she will discover the little ferret with another woman and won't listen to him telling her that it is all a terrible mistake, she has my temper that one.  
I am counting on you Hugo, you are the male representative for our family at Hogwarts and it is your duty to protect your sister, even if she doesn't want to be. Do me proud son.  
Dad.

Hugo tucked the crumpled parchment back into his fist and lay down in the red and gold bed. His father was right, it was his duty and he would make his dad proud. He was a Weasley, and Weasleys just did not mix with Malfoys.

X

The next day Hugo put his plan into action. He knew that Rose would be patrolling the 5th floor tonight, and Scorpius would be patrolling the sixth. They liked to split up for patrols so it didn't look like playing favourites simply because they were dating. He chuckled darkly to himself, this would prove to be their downfall.

Hugo had bribed one of the less moral girls in his year, a pretty Hufflepuff named Daisy, to wait in the closet with him and, when the time was right, pretend that she had been making out with Scorpius. So Hugo, and Daisy, found a broom cupboard on the sixth floor and waited.

They had hidden themselves away just before curfew began, so they wouldn't actually get caught, and it proved to take some time before Scorpius reached their corridor. Hugo had thought of this though, and he had cast a charm on his ears to amplify the sounds around them so he could hear when the 7th year Ravenclaw boy approached.

Scorpius stopped outside the cupboard and listened for any sounds of misbehaving students within. He couldn't hear anything but some of them were already very good at casting silent charms so he knew that he would be forced to check anyway.

What he wasn't expecting to find though was Rose's brother launching himself at him from within the dark depths of the cupboard, and then everything went black.

X

"Rose! Rose!" Hugo called running around the corridors of the fifth floor.

"Hugo?" came the confused reply and she suddenly appeared from around the corner.

"There you are!" he declared sprinting towards her and seizing her wrist tightly. "You have to come and see this sis, or you won't believe me."

Rose frowned at him but was essentially helpless to resist as he tugged her along. Hugo had long since gained a strength and height advantage over her whilst she had remained small and delicate. "Hugo what is going on, what is so important?" she demanded but he just shook his shaggy head of hair at her and refused to answer. Tugging her ever forward.

Eventually they reached the cupboard where he had left Scorpius, unconscious due to his stunning charm and draped in the arms of young Daisy. He looked smugly at his still confused sister before throwing open the door to reveal the biggest betrayal of all.

He watched her face but was surprised to find that it remained neutral, no shock, no horror no ultimate betrayal.

"You wanted to show me Daisy Lewis alone in a cupboard?"

"Wait, what?" he asked and turned to look for himself. It was true, Daisy was sat, fast asleep on a crate. There was no sign of Scorpius anywhere. Rose woke the young Hufflepuff, docked points and sent her to bed before turning to deal with her brother.

She faced him head on, hands on hips and stance wide. He knew that he was in trouble, and that trouble only got bigger as Scorpius rounded the corner, seemingly out of nowhere, and stood behind his sister. He didn't look very pleased.

"I don't know what you think gave you the right, to try and ruin my relationship Hugo Weasley," she started, fire burning behind her chocolate eyes. "But you do not have any right. Not only did we find the letter, but did you really think that Lily would let you do this to me? To us? What kind of family member does that? And my own brother no less!"

"But dad-"

"But dad nothing Hugo! You cannot play God with people, would you really rather see me heartbroken and alone than happy with Scorpius?"

Hugo blushed and hung his head and mumbled "no."

Rose sighed, she was still annoyed but knew that her brother was too much like her father to really ever get through to him. "I sent mam a letter," she continued watching as the younger boy's head snapped up and he paled impossibly, "I'm sure you will be receiving a howler just as soon as she gets her voice back from yelling at dad. Don't ever do that again. 40 points from Gryffindor for being out after curfew and another 10 for manipulating the lives of others. Now go. And the next time you talk to me it better be to apologise, to both of us."

Hugo sighed knowing that he had been beat. He looked up, first at his sister and then, with a glare, at the stupid ferret who was with her. As Hugo slunk off to sulk in his dorms he decided on one thing.

This wasn't over.


	9. Round 9

King Reaper

Death was getting old. Now you might think, how impossible he cannot get old death is eternal, and you are right but only partly. The concept of death is eternal, it is something nothing and no one can ever escape, but the actual person, or thing, that comes for the souls of the dearly departed is a bit of a family business.

The average length of employment as Death was a couple of centuries, it did provide extended life, but as he came to the end of his he knew it was time to choose his successor.

Death had three daughters, all young and all beautiful and all fit candidates for the job and so he decided to test them. There were three aspects to being death three tricks or tools of the trade and he decided to award each daughter one tool to see how they did.

"My daughters!" he declared grandly one day, gathering all three girls around a table upon which he had draped a sheet. "I love you all so dearly, and so I have decided to give you each a gift to show my affection."

Nothing if not a showman Death withdrew the silk sheet with a flourish to reveal the three gifts beneath.

The eldest girls looked at each other and frowned, confused and disappointed. The youngest girl eyed the third gift on the pile curiously. On a velvet cushion lay a bobbly stick, next to it a small black cracked stone and beside both of them, resting only on the table a pile of soft fabric which appeared to be a cloak.

"These seemingly worthless objects are the source of all my power," he continued, "and I will give you one each to see who is the most worthy of possessing all three." Death, again with great flourish, plucked the stick from its velvet cushion. "This my children is the elder wand the most powerful source of magic man can possess. I bestow this great honour on you, my eldest, Goneril. May you use it mercifully. This next item," he gestured to the broken and battered little rock, "is what allows me to communicate with both the dead and alive. The resurrection stone is a gift I will bestow on my second daughter, Regan. May you use it sympathetically." He picked up the little stone and handed it carefully to the second girl. "Last, but certainly not the least, the cloak of invisibility. This is what allows me to approach the living without their knowledge and it is a gift I give to you, my youngest, Cordelia. May you use it wisely."

As Death passed the last gift to his last daughter he surveyed his girls proudly, each had their own strengths and their own weaknesses. It would be interesting to see how the managed this task.

Goneril and Regan rushed towards their father and began to thank him enthusiastically. Declaring that they would do everything to make him proud and how grateful they were and how much they loved him and Death basked in the glow of their pretty words but when he turned to look for little Cordelia, she had already slipped away.

X

Months passed and still nothing was heard from Death's youngest daughter, she had simply disappeared into thin air along with his gift, but at least that meant she wasn't causing as much trouble as his other daughters.

His gifts to them had revealed sides to his daughters that Death had not known existed. They might have been great beauties on the outside but the elder wand and the resurrection had revealed that both were rotten on the inside.

It had started slowly at first they had acted out in minor ways. Goneril had used some of the power from the wand for her own gain and Regan had used the stone to summon people who had died for her own personal reasons. These were acts that Death had had to reprimand, but ultimately they had been forgivable. Sadly that had only been the beginning.

Soon Goneril was using the power of the wand to cause people pain and to make herself richer and more beautiful. She built a castle and commanded servants, even going so far as to enchant a local prince and ensnare him into her web of magic and lies. Goneril no longer listened to her father or heeded to his rules, she even threatened to use the power of the elder wand to kill him. Death soon recognised the love and promises she had shown him to be nothing more than pretty and empty words. She held no love for him and felt no loyalty.

Regan had gone much the same way, although this daughter turned out to be far crueller. She demanded anything that she wanted and those poor mortals who thought they had the power to refuse her will were soon shown otherwise. She would have to pool soul bound and then Regan would summon up lost loved ones and awful demon spirits. She would torture and torment those who had refused her until they broke in both mind and spirit, and then she would simply take what they had refused her. She too would not listen to her father, denying him entry to her home through the use of the poor souls she had command over.

Death did not know what to do or how to stop them, his power was divided and without it he was all but useless. Eventually he realised that he didn't need to intervene and that his two eldest daughters would destroy each other on their destructive path.

Goneril and Regan decided that they were not powerful enough, that they wanted two of Death's tools instead of just one and so they began to plot against one another. Blood turning on blood.

Goneril used her magic and the power of the elder wand to poison Regan. She sent snakes to torment and infect her so that her death might be slow and painful and so that Goneril might possess two of the Deathly Hallows and become the most powerful sister.

Regan on the other hand envied the power of the wand and desired it to get her the things that could not be made by man, and therefore could not be tortured into her possession. She used what power was available to her and commanded the evil spirits to drive her older sister to the point of insanity. The spirits tormented her day and night until such a time that Goneril could not go on and she in a mad haze took her own life.

One thing, however, connected the two deaths of both unfortunate sisters. As they died the air around them began to ripple and out of nowhere stepped Cordelia. The missing sister.

She gazed sadly down at the monsters her once loving siblings had become and in each case she simply reached out a pale hand. "Come with me," she said to Goneril, "your torment will end here," and as she took her sisters hand she came away with her soul. Gently she scattered the soul of her oldest sister to the wind, and set her free. The same she did to Regan, "come with me, your pain will end here."

After this she took the elder wand and the resurrection stone and hid them with her under the invisibility cloak until she could return them to her father.

Death was very surprised when Cordelia removed the cloak and appeared, healthy and full of life, before him. "My sisters are dead," she began hanging her head in shame and in sadness, "there was nothing I could do to save them or stop them and so I set them free father. Now I return these items to you," she held out the three objects, "the source of their misery and madness. None of your daughters have proven a worthy successor."

He smiled, sad but proud and gently pushed the items away back into her possession. "That is where you are wrong my child. Whilst my gifts turned your sisters into greedy and power mad monsters it only enhanced your natural kindness and sympathy. You did not shower me with empty words and praises, instead going straight to the task I had set you. You have proven a more worthy successor than I could ever have imagined Cordelia, I am proud to call you my daughter."


	10. Round 10

Butterflies

Hermione could help the way her heart started racing and she was filled with a combination of butterflies and the urge to throw up but as much as she told herself this was wrong and that she should turn back now her legs kept moving forwards, carrying her towards him.

She knew that she had to be breaking about a hundred school rules. Not only was she out after hours but she was abusing her power as a prefect and using it for selfish reasons. She knew that if anyone came along they would believe she was simply performing her nightly patrols. Plus she was condoning, even aiding, another student in sneaking around the school after hours.

Still as the big, smooth wooden doors to the library came in to view Hermione felt her heart speed up even faster. This was her sacred place and she really couldn't tell if she was desecrating the peace and sanctity of her special refuge from the rest of the world or if she was simply adding to the happy memories she would have there.

It had started accidentally. It was no secret that they despised each other but when she had found him in the back corner of the library crying over a transfiguration essay that he just couldn't do, she took pity on him.

It was really difficult at first, he certainly didn't make it any easier throwing around the m-word like it was no tomorrow, but slowly and reluctantly he began to warm up to her. First the names stop but by the end their secret little study sessions had become warm and friendly, something that Hermione always looked forward to and quite often they were the highlight of her day.

She supposed that her fondness for Draco Malfoy was starting to become more and more apparent but really when Harry kept going on and on about his theory that the youngest Malfoy was involved in some nefarious plot she couldn't help but snap.

It was completely ridiculous, she was sure that anytime Draco spent outside of class, his common room or the great hall he spent with her and really the only times he could be sneaking off were the ridiculously early hours of the morning.

Hermione placed her hands on the worn wood and pushed gently. She half expected the door to still be locked, as it was supposed to be, but it swung slowly and soundlessly inward.

The library looked so different in the dark and Hermione couldn't help the pang of fear that she felt as she crept amongst the dark shelves. It was remarkably cold for a castle where every single inhabitant could cast a warming charm and Hermione felt herself shivering. She half expected some horrific monster to come crashing out of the darkness of every shadow and she felt the grip on her wand tighten painfully.

Something creaked suddenly on her right and Hermione jumped pressing her back against the shelves and pointing a shaking wand in the direction of the noise.

"Hermione?" a familiar voice whispered and Hermione felt her whole body relax. Her wand fell and she slumped like a rag doll against the side of the books.

"Draco," she breathed looking up as a blonde head popped around the side of the bookcase, "you scared me."

The Slytherin boy smirked at her but it was not the same smirk as it had once been. It was no longer filled with a smug self-arrogance or disgust for the person he was smirking at. This smirk was filled with amusement as he looked at the dishevelled sixth year Gryffindor in front of him. "Sorry."

Hermione looked up and narrowed her eyes at him. "You aren't really even sorry and you just nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Draco couldn't help it, she looked so offended and so damn adorable that he laughed. Maybe a little too loudly but it was a sound that Hermione had never heard him make before, one filled with genuine happiness. "Oh don't look at me like that," he scolded playfully, "come on."

Hermione allowed him to lead her by the hand through the towering stacks to the darkest corner of the library where he had transfigured a few big comfy chairs and a large table and candle light bathed the corner in such a warm glow that it made it look almost homely, almost romantic.

"Draco, this is lovely. You didn't have to go to so much trouble! We're only studying."

She couldn't tell in the half-light but it almost seemed like a pink flush tinged his pale cheeks and he quickly dropped her hand as if it had burnt her.

"Sorry I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable. I mean you're going so far out of your way Hermione just to help me and I made the first five years of our acquaintance hell for you so I was trying to do something nice. Sorry."

Hermione couldn't help but smile fondly and she felt her heart warm as he looked so completely devastated. She hadn't meant to upset him of course but the fact that he could easily display this level of emotional care towards her just confirmed everything she had thought or hoped over the last few months.

She knew now that Harry was wrong about Draco and that he wasn't doing anything he shouldn't be, and more importantly Hermione knew she could finally act upon those butterflies.


	11. Round 11

Spaces Between Us

In a relationship like the one he was in with Rose, Scorpius knew that what they actually said wasn't really that important at all. All the horrible words and the backhanded insults, all the curses and calls and general bitching didn't mean a thing. What really were important were the words that they didn't say out loud. The meaningful, sometimes awkward silences and the charged looks; the causal touches that filled the spaces between them.

On the outside, to the rest of the world, they were a Malfoy and a Weasley. They had to hate each other, to curse each other to do everything they could to try and get rid of each other. Or at least they had to make it seem that way. A jinx that accidently flies wide, a hex misworded so instead of bogies attacking there were bunnies frolicking. It all seemed to be just accidental and according to the rest of Hogwarts their rivalry was as fierce as ever but Scorpius knew that it was different, that things had changed.

It was exactly what he had been told to expect. His father had experienced the exact same relationship with Hermione Granger but sadly the stigma that prevailed after the wizarding war meant that they couldn't be together. She had ended up marrying that awful weasel and having to spawn his children. But, Draco had told him, it was no matter. The next generation would simply have to succeed where the previous one had failed.

Scorpius would never forget the first day he had met Rose Weasley. They had bumped into each other on the train. She had been all blue eyes and fiery hair and he hadn't been able to think of a word to say to her. All he could think of were his father's final words to him: "one day son, you are going to marry that girl."

She opened her mouth and Scorpius just knew in that moment that she felt the same way. That she felt the instant connection between them and the electricity that sparked through the air around them. This was it the moment that would shape the rest of his life.

"Malfoy, what are you doing? Get out of my way."

It took him a moment to realise that it was not a declaration of utter and undying love that had just spilled forth from her rosebud lips. It was in fact a dismissive statement sneered at him with a level of disgust he had not experienced before. It shocked him to his very core and all he could do was gape at her, a stupid look on his face. She glared at him for a minute more before sighing and shouldering past him leaving the young boy heartbroken in the middle of the train corridor.

The second he had been sorted into Slytherin and had gotten back to the dorms he had written to his father expressing his confusion and hurt at the rejection of a girl he had been told was his soulmate since he was old enough to understand what the word meant.

The letter he received in return served only to strengthen his resolve. His father explained that Rose was only acting in this manner because of the stigma attached to their names. A Malfoy and a Weasley couldn't even be seen conversing civilly with one another never mind have an open relationship in front of the whole world.

So for seven years Scorpius bided his time. He lived up to the reputation that the world had set him, he was arrogant and womanising, he did fairly well in school but he was always cocky about it. Most importantly though, he went out of his way to make Rose Weasley's life hell. Or at least he tried to make it appear that way.

It was on the night before they left Hogwarts forever that he decided to finally confront her about the connection he had felt between them since day one.

"Rose?" he asked when he finally found her alone in the back corner of the library. He didn't really know why she was there, they didn't have any homework after all and they never would again, but she was there at a table scribbling away.

Her head snapped up and a brief moment of confusion flickered across her face before the familiar mask of disgust slammed down like a protective mask. "What do you want Malfoy?" she sneered at him.

Scorpius looked around furtively checking to make sure that they were truly alone before stealing towards the chair opposite her grinning like a mad man. "It's okay," he insisted in an excited whisper, "we're alone. You don't have to pretend right now."

Rose let her quill drop and she sat up straight in her chair. She was properly frowning now as she looked at him. "What are you on about?" she demanded and for the first time Scorpius felt his reserve falter. She had to just be being careful, or thorough.

Scorpius leant forward and reached for one of her hands but she flinched away from his touch and glanced around, obviously worried that someone would see them together not fighting. "It's okay Rose, there's no one here but you and me. We can be open and honest."

"Honest?" she looked back at him and Scorpius couldn't see anything but confusion in her eyes, and a little fear. "Honest about what?" Could he have been wrong all of this time? All those looks and those fleeting moments, could he have imagined them all?

"A-about us," he insisted. Reaching for her again, but this time Rose jumped away from his touch panic sparking across her face. Scorpius felt himself deflate in his chair. This was not going at all to plan.

"You're insane, there is no us!" she gathered up her books and parchments and started to leave the library. "Honestly Scorpius, what are you thinking?"

At the sound of his name, his actual name, falling from her lips he looked up and was surprised to see a small smile gracing her lips. Amusement and secrets danced in her eyes as she nodded towards the single piece of parchment left on the table before turning on heel and disappearing between the towering stacks of books.

Scorpius felt the hope spark in his chest as he read over her note. It contained a time and a place and it was actually signed 'love Rose x'. He felt triumphant, he felt a happiness he didn't know existed and as he rose from his chair and all but floated out of the library he realised with a certainty that for all these years he had been right.

It was the words they didn't say out loud, that filled the spaces between them, that meant the most.


	12. Round 12

Once Upon a Hogwarts

Cinderella froze at the top of the grand staircase and decided then and there that she could not go on. How she had made it this far she didn't know but she realised now that the whole idea was a huge mistake. She reached a hand up to touch her hair, once blonde now stained black with magic, and wondered how she thought this would be sufficient as a disguise.

Sure she also wore a mask, it was a masquerade ball after all, but in her vanity she had left her eyes the rich and startling blue that they had always been. Cinderella dropped her hand and let it rest on the soft yet voluptuous material of her dress. She had always looked best in periwinkle, her mother had told her so, but her new 'sisters' might recognise her in that colour and so she had opted for a lighter version of her favourite colour. A light film of shimmering gauze fell from her waist over the skirt making the material glitter as it swished about her.

She hovered on the top step. Cinderella's heart was in her mouth as her head and her heart warred inside her. Should she return to her dorm, as instructed, and hide away or should she just suck it up and live for herself for once?

Something solid collided with her from behind and Cinderella stumbled forward down the first few steps. Two Gryffindor boys from her year rushed past her, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley she thought they were, looking back they shouted apologies in her direction but continued on their way down the stairs and into the great hall.

Cinderella smiled after them and, glancing behind momentarily, she began to slowly make her way down the stairs. It seems fate had made her decision for her.

X

Ariel knew that she stuck out like a sore thumb. True she had always had a measure of obviousness due to the shock of bright red hair that she daily tried to tame but after _the incident_ everyone seemed to talk about her.

She knew that she shouldn't have come tonight. It wasn't like anyone was going to ask her to dance, but she had been far too desperate to see _him_ and honestly when was she ever going to get another opportunity to wear a dress like this.

Sat, as she was, at a table so near the windows Ariel took a moment to examine her reflection in the slightly warped glass. She had always chuckled at the little rhyme that _'red and green should never be seen unless upon an Irish coleen'_ and even though she wasn't Irish she had chosen to wear a dress of sea foam green tonight.

It was modestly cut and not too poofy but she had had it decorated with pearls and had sewn little shells out of sequins in. It was fair to say that she had always adored the sea. She'd even turned the outer skirt up at the edges in certain places so that the white petticoats underneath were visible and it looked like waves.

She sighed soundlessly and turned back to the chatter and music of the party resolved to being alone for the evening. Everyone else was dancing or talking, having a drink and a laugh with their friends.

A handsome young man with a shock of carroty hair stepped out from the crowd and made his way to the edge of the ballroom. Ariel felt her eyes drawn to them, as they had always been, and she watched as he leant against a wall, out of breath.

She was shocked that when his eyes scanned the crowd around him lazily and landed on her he straightened up. She was more shocked when he pushed away from the wall and started to make his way in her direction.

Ariel glanced around looking for who he could be coming towards but when she looked back the infamous prankster and Gryffindor beater Fred Weasley had actually come to a stop in front of her. He was smiling, at her!

"Hey you're that Ariel girl, right?"

X

Belle looked around at the students all laughing and having a good time and sighed, utterly content. This ball, her brain child, looked to be a complete success and she had to admit she was rather enjoying the chance to dress up.

It wasn't normally customary for the teachers to take part in the theme of the annual dance but Belle had insisted that in order for it to be a proper masquerade ball, like the muggles did, then everyone had to get in the spirit and she was shocked to find that they all did. Even old Minerva had broken out a stunning little black number and even though her hair was still as secure as ever in that severe bun she did appear to be having a good time.

She smoothed down her simple yellow dress and pressed a hand to her face to make sure that her little yellow mask was still in place.

"Belle, you look lovely this evening," came a familiar voice from behind her and Belle couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she turned towards him.

"Remus," she pouted playfully, "you aren't supposed to know it's me."

Her fellow professor grinned warmly at her and she had to admit he looked very dashing in his black suit and matching mask. Muggle formal clothes really were far more attractive than magical ones.

"I came to congratulate you on your undeniable success," he continued producing two glasses of pumpkin juice, "I thought a toast might be in order."

"You're very kind," Belle smiled and chinked her glass gently against his, turning to survey her work and make sure to keep the peace.

X

Despite the fact that all she was doing was standing just to the side of the drinks table sipping pumpkin juice Cinderella was having a wonderful time. She was enjoying all the music and the idle chatter and just the chance to listen and be a part of things without being ordered to do this, that, or the other by Drisella and Anastasia.

Why her father had ever thought it would be a good idea to marry a pureblood Parkinson she didn't know. Especially since her mother had only been a muggleborn. But now her dear father was gone and Cinderella was left to deal with the consequences of his actions; if only for another year.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't be stood here all by herself," drawled a smooth voice in front of her and Cinderella jumped casting away the morose thoughts that had been clouding her mind. In front of her stood a tall, slender you man with white blonde hair and a devilish smirk. Cinders felt herself begin to blush.

"Perhaps you should go find one to entertain," she replied sounding a lot more confident than she felt. She glanced suspiciously at the glass of pumpkin juice in her hand, wondering if one of the Weasley boys had spiked the drinks.

The boy chuckled and Cinderella examined him closely. Her eyes widened with shock as she realised that it was none other than the Slytherin prince himself Draco Malfoy who had spent more than one day tormenting her with her Slytherin step sisters. Obviously her disguise was a sufficient one.

"What is your name? I don't recognise you which is strange," he asked leaning against the wall beside her.

Cinders opened her mouth and went to reply before shutting it again and smiling mysteriously at him instead. "Well there wouldn't be much point to the mask if I just went ahead and told you would there," she stated.

Draco chuckled and pushed a hand through his hair. "I suppose not," he admitted, "but it would be strange for me to ask you to dance if I didn't know your name."

Cinderella smiled and blushed prettily. She couldn't help enjoying the attention, especially since it was ironic that the most single minded pureblood in Hogwarts was shamelessly flirting with a mere halfblood; and obviously enjoying himself.

"Well, Draco," she smirked as he raised his eyebrows. He obviously hadn't expected her to know who he really was, "you may call me Cindy."

X

Ariel opened her mouth to reply, sure that she was going to stutter and trip over herself stupidly, but of course no sound came out and she just sort of gaped up at him resembling a rather shocked fish.

"Yeah that's why I came over," he continued ploughing straight on despite her lack of answer. "You got hit with that silencing charm yeah? Well obviously yeah," he chuckled, "or you probably would have said something by now.

Ariel closed her mouth and nodded quickly as a sick and rather depressing feeling settled in her chest like a physical weight pressing down on her. Suddenly it was rather difficult to breathe and her eyes began to sting as if she was going to cry.

Of course he wasn't interested in her for her, no one ever was, he only noticed her because she couldn't speak.

"Anyway," Fred continued pulling out a chair and sitting next to her at the table, "I wondered if you would mind letting me pick your brain a bit. See, me and George are working on a new product, for the shop you know, and well we think it would be a great prank to shut someone up for a bit. I just need to know how it happened to you."

Ariel looked away, trying to ignore how much it hurt that someone else was simply coming to use her, the mute freak show. She tried to ignore how much more it hurt because it was him.

She had been mute for nearly two months now and no matter how hard Madam Pomfrey and the other teachers tried they couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong with her. She had spent a week in a specials ward in St. Mungos but they had eventually sent her back to school because they couldn't do anything more for her. Madam Pince had even been coerced into digging out some of the more ancient tomes but still no dice.

Ariel mimed writing to him and funnily enough Fred had come prepared pulling out a sheet of parchment and a self-inking quill.

 _First things first,_ she wrote making sure he could see what she said, _I want you to promise me that you make sure it is temporary because from experience this sucks. The prospect of being a mute for the rest of your life is not an appealing one, I feel completely trapped inside my own head._

Ariel looked up pointedly at Fred until he nodded furiously assuring her that it would be temporary.

 _Well, it started about 2 months ago in charms class. You probably remember learning about silencing charms when you did them last year well we were practicing their practical uses. Mostly just casting them around us or on certain noisy objects but a few of the more advanced students were allowed to practice on a partner. Well my friend Anna was practicing on me and it was all going well until a Slytherin girl called Anastasia got into a fight with her sister Drisella and when they started pushing they ended up pushing me straight into the path of another two silencing charms._

"You got hit by three?" he asked incredulously as she nodded sombrely putting quill to paper ready to continue their conversation.

Eventually they ran out of parchment and Fred suggested that they use this lull in the music to nip across the room, grab a drink and fetch some more paper. Ariel agreed but as they made it to the centre of the room the band started up again and they were suddenly surrounded by couples with no way out.

Fred looked down at her and shrugged apologetically but his smile was friendly. "Do you want to dance?"

X

It had been a rather successful evening Belle thought as she surveyed the students. It was the last dance before clearing everyone out and just about everyone was on the dancefloor enjoying themselves.

She scanned the crowd looking for one person in particular and spotted him slipping out of the doors into the entrance hall and Belle ended up following Remus out into the grounds. The light of the full moon silhouetted him against the breath taking backdrop.

"Remus?" she called as she approached him and she watched as his whole body stiffened.

"Belle," he replied but something was different his voice had taken on a rougher quality. "You shouldn't be out here please go inside."

Belle ignored him, creeping ever closer until she rounded his still form. He stared resolutely ahead as she gasped. Fur covered his face. "Remus, what happened to you?"

"The wolfsbane potion can only curb so much of my curse," he deadpanned.

Belle reached out as if to touch him but when he noticed Remus flinched away. "You should not have come," he whispered sounding more broken now than anything, "why did you have to come?" but before Belle could answer him he had turned and fled towards the forest with an unnatural speed.

X

Cinderella was still enjoying herself ridiculously as she was twirled around in the arms of a man that she had always found attractive but had always dismissed her. The power it gave her was quite heady but as they stepped up to dance the last dance, however, Cinder's dreams of a perfect night shattered around her.

Because they had not been invited to dance with anyone for the last dance, or any really, Anastasia and Drisella were leaving the ball early. Cinderella could see them gathering their things and heading for the door. She had to make it back to the Hufflepuff common room before they came to check on her. She could only imagine what would happen if they found out that she had come to the ball anyway.

Seeing her chances at happiness slipping away Cinderella ripped herself from Draco's arms.

"Where are you going?" he called after her, giving chase as she began to weave around the ever growing crowd of people. It worked in her favour that the crowd grew thicker behind her meaning that Draco could not follow at the speed she was going.

"Thank you for a lovely evening," she called to him, not daring to look back, "but I have to go," she broke out into the hall way and made for the stairs. She was halfway up when one of her shoes caught on the step and she went tumbling forward losing the shoe as she did so.

Full of panic she watched as the delicate shoe bounced all the way down to the bottom of the steps and Draco appeared in the doorway looking wildly around for her. She realised there wasn't time for her to go back for it and instead picked herself up and kept running. It was imperative that she keep running and never look back for fear of her heart breaking.

"But wait! I don't even know your name!"

X

Ariel had enjoyed their dance immensely, it was something she never thought would happen in her wildest dreams and she savoured every second. Fred prattled away filling what would have been an awkward silence. Asking her yes and no questions but throwing a few more complicated ones in just to tease her. She would pout and frown up at him as a silent telling off.

But the song had come to an end and they had begun to make their way towards the edge of the floor when it had been declared that this was to be the final dance and the whole student body of Hogwarts had decided that they simply must be a part of it.

Fred and Ariel had been pushed even closer together in the surge and were now rather awkwardly dancing along, or at least trying to.

Ariel looked up and Fred looked down and Ariel didn't know if it was the heat of the moment or the fact that she was being pushed from behind but the next thing she did know was that her mouth was rather firmly planted onto Fred's.

Her eyes opened wide in shock and she found that she couldn't move or at least didn't want to. Fred's eyes were closed and did she imagine it or had his hand tightened on her waist pulling her just a little closer.

She didn't know or care and allowed her eyes to flutter closed and enjoy the accidental kiss before it was over and it was all too soon. The crowd relaxed around them and as it did they fell apart. Ariel tipped back onto her feet with a surprised "Oh!" before letting out another surprised "oh!"

"Hey," Fred said, "you can talk!"

"I-I can talk!" Ariel squealed with delight revelling in the sound of her own voice. It was slightly raspy from lack of use but more than anything she was happy to have it back.

So caught up in the happiness that she felt from this Ariel forgot to be awkward about their kiss, she even forgot to mention it and Fred seemed happy enough to act as if it had never happened. Fred walked her chivalrously back to the Ravenclaw tower, he had insisted and Ariel realised that a new friendship had been born.


	13. Round 13

Mistakes

Hermione Granger blushed scarlet as she came back to the real world and realised she had been caught in the rather shameful act of staring at her co-worker. It didn't matter that he was the most sinfully handsome man to grace the planet or that they had shared a rather passionate kiss at the Christmas party a month ago. Draco Malfoy was still an arrogant prick.

He only served to prove this point as he smirked across the office at her wiggling his fingers in a cheeky little wave, amusement dancing in his grey eyes. Hermione was all too familiar with how enticing and seductive those grey eyes could be.

Hermione dropped her eyes down to the paperwork in front of her trying to focus on the numbers. She tugged at the hem of her sensible pencil skirt and distractedly rubbed the neck of her appropriate blouse. She could feel his eyes burning into her as she worked and it was so distracting she was going insane.

She could still feel the heavy warm weight of him as he pressed her into the wall at the bend in the corridor. It had been so delightfully naughty, anyone could have caught them at any moment, but it was the last thing on her mind. Front and centre was the tension between them, the way his mouth was hovering over hers giving her a last chance to escape but there was no way she was leaving now.

Hermione had arched her back pushing herself into him and lifting her head so that their lips met and the heat exploded. She had been fairly drunk and so the details had grown more than a little hazy but she knew that she had never felt more passion in her life. Kissing her last boyfriend, Ron, had seemed like being asleep in comparison. She felt herself growing warm just at the memory.

"You know, I don't think that's what you're meant to do with it."

Hermione jumped in her chair banging her knees off the metal under bar of the desk and struggled to hide her wince of pain. She knew that having the desk closest to the printer was going to come back to bite her in the ass one day and it seemed that day had come all too soon.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" she asked through her teeth not turning around to grace him with a look. Her mistake as he moved to hover over her shoulder filling her nose with his dark and enticing scent. Pine and something cold, something she couldn't quite identify.

His hand filled her vision as he grazed the hand she had clamped around her pen. It seemed that whilst her mind had wandered her hand had begun to splinter the biro she was using and big ink splotches now covered the important contract she had been working on. One she would now have to restart.

Hermione sighed and let her head fall forward using her copious amounts of hair to shield her once again scarlet face. "Please," she murmured quietly, "go away. I have a lot of work to do." She felt, rather than saw him move away and she found herself missing the heat that he provided but when she heard his mocking chuckle her heart grew cold.

She had to get better control of her urges.

X

A week later Hermione was the last person in the office. It was dark outside and the lights had gone out everywhere but her cubicle by the door. She was tidying her things away when she remembered the file that she had left in her boss's office which she needed to take home with her that night.

Hermione slung her heavy bag over her shoulder, pulled her hair out from under the strap and headed for the corridor that would lead her to the office. She wasn't bothered by the dark and she knew her way around this office like the back of her hand. So it came as quite a shock when a hand shot out from the corner and dragged her into another corridor.

Hermione's scream was swallowed by a demanding set of lips and her bag thudded to the floor as she was pressed against the wall. Hermione struggled furiously against the stranger eventually digging her nails into the soft skin behind his ears and dragging him off of her.

"What the hell?" she screeched, glaring up at her attacked.

"What?" he drawled arrogantly, stumbling backwards but still retaining enough of his standing to smirk at her. "Didn't you miss me?"

"I swear to god Malfoy! If you ever do that to me again I will kill you, and then sue you!"

"Oh come now Hermione, you've been staring at me for months," he sauntered closer. "I know that you want me just as much as I want you." Hermione pressed back against the wall again as he loomed over her, his hot breath brushed seductively against her mouth.

Against her will her eyes fluttered, willing to shut and just give into the passion that she felt coursing through her veins. Her mind and her body warred and she held Draco's eye as she battled within. She could see and feel his need and her body responded to it; her pulse quickened and her breathing came short and fast and Draco smirked as he saw her mind lose the battle within.

"Okay," she breathed at him but quickly placed a gentle hand on his chest as he surged forward, "but this is going to be strictly business," and she was happy to keep it that way.

Hermione tried to ignore her treacherous heart telling her it would end up being a lot more complicated than that.


End file.
